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Jüsk
After the Blackwastes, Jüsk is the next most recently discovered Shard, whose Shardbounds consist of primarily open ocean and an archipelago of scattered islands. It is notable for being host to a large number of elementals in varying sizes and levels of power, and its humanoid population is oversaturated with genasi and paragenasi to such a point where nearly every denizen has and visibly displays some amount of elemental heritage. Societal structure While the majority of the Jüsk islands are unexplored, the inhabited ones are mostly "claimed" by a single type of elemental, with a Mother Spark -- an elemental matriarch -- serving as a leader for its people, each somehow rooted or fused to the core of their chosen island. Tribal groups of "fullblooded" elementals of a seemingly higher social caste rub shoulders with genasi of the appropriate bloodline, and paragenasi -- those planetouched who can trace their heritage to more than one elemental plane -- are typically free to travel between either of their designated homes. So long as they are willing to profess servitude to a Mother Spark, aasimar and tieflings are also welcome in Jüsk, and many flock to the archipelago to escape the stigma of their heritage that the cultures of other Shards enforce. These celestially and infernally-descended planetouched can typically be found serving as go-betweens for the immobile Sparks, as sending genasi or elemental emissaries to other islands often results in unintended physical harm or is plainly impossible (fire elementals visiting the domain of water, and so on). Notable Islands Each isle is named for the Spark it houses, and the terrain of each has dramatically shifted to reflect the warping presence of its elemental denizens. * Incendio '''is a volcanic island in whose molten heart rests a village of fire elementals. Fire-descended genasi whose bloodlines are too diluted to resist the intense heat reside on its igneous surface, and immigrant tieflings are most often found here, many of them finding strangely nostalgic comfort in the hellish landscape. * '''Aquos '''is the largest of the elemental domains, consisting of a network of caverns both flooded and air-filled depending on the breathing capabilities of its denizens, and constitutes the lair of Jüsk's water elementals. Transport between islands is typically effected by Aquans, as a significant portion of the water genasi population are highly sought-after shipwrights and sailors. * '''Terrus '''is a lush jungle island, and in addition to containing a large population of natural fauna is the domain of earth elementals, notoriously deadly for the uninitiated in the jungle's hazards to traverse. Since the arrival of visitors from other Shards, many earth genasi have made comfortable livings as trappers and guides, and their elemental masters are rarely seen by outsiders. * '''Esperia is the smallest of the islands, or rather, '''are '''the smallest -- the air elementals' domain consists of a chain of many smaller, pillar-like landmasses jutting from the sea, bizarrely shaped and sculpted by years of ocean-borne air currents. Rope bridges and ziplines afford transit between the pillars for visitors and other creatures not capable of flight. * A collection of artificial platforms roughly midway between each of the domains, Jüsk Base is presently under construction and upon completion will serve as the Planeswatch's bastion in the Shard -- and a contingency base of operations should disaster ever befall Haven. In addition to these, a multitude of uninhabited islands dots the seascape, many holding undiscovered ruins, undisturbed monsters, and other promises of adventure. Relationship with the Planeswatch The Planeswatch is still finding its footing with Jüsk, but most often, Watchmen are called to help settle disputes between the Sparks or scout yet-uncharted islands, or assist in the establishment of Jüsk Base. Mechanical notes Summoned elementals and player characters of the '''outsider '''subtype are not sent to their "home" plane when banished, but instead rematerialize in the chamber of their associated Spark.Category:Settings Category:Planeswatch Category:Shards